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[Note to editors: The following article is part
of a tape-recorded interview with Ly Van Sau. The
tape, or copies of it, can be obtained from Noam
Chomsky, 15 Suzanne Road, Lexington, Mass. 02173.]
FROM GENEVA TO PARIS: PRG REPRESENTATIVE
*_,Y VAN SAU TALKS ABOUT THE 1973 AGREEMENT
by Schofleld Coryell
LIBERATION News Service
PARIS (LNS) -- "We are fighting not only for
ourselves but for the defense of human values; we
are fighting for all of you and we hope to have
your continued sympathy and support."
Ly Van Sau, press representative of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic
of South Vietnam, addressed these words to a small
group of Americans who met in the offices of the
PRG Information Bureau in Paris on May 10.
Sau explained that despite the constant
violations of the ceasefire by the US-backed and
equipped Saigon Army, the revolutionary forces
feel that the Paris Agreement of January 17
represents "a tremendous victory for our people."
Sau explained that the PRG had expected the
numerous ceasefire violations and had prepared for
them in advance» The Paris Agreement,-- calling
for the withdrawal of US and allied troops was an
important achievement, but the struggle, he explained, now continues "on a different level."
"Over 115 years ago, the French invaded and
occupied our country; then, during the Second
World War, the Japanese invaded; they were followed
by the British; then came the Kuomingtang troops,
then the French again, and finally came the Americans --along with the Australians, South Koreans,
New Zealanders, Taiwanese, etc. Now at last our
country is no longer trampled by the boots of
foreign uniformed soldiers. For us, this is something magnificent."
Ly Van Sau explained why the Paris Agreement
of 1973 was such a big advance over the Geneva
Accords of July 1954 which marked the end of the
first Indochina War»
"The Geneva1 Accord came after the great victory of Dien Bien Phu. We jumped with joy and pride
to know that, with this victory over the French
(May 7, 1954) , we were the first colonized people
to win a decisive victory over a colonial power.
"But France was, after all, a second-rank
power, seriously weakened by the Second World War,
and the United States was already at the door,
readyvto intervene, As Ho Chi Minh clearly foresaw: 'We are a small people who will have the
honor of defeating two imperialisms.'
"The Paris Agreement of 1973 was signed with
quite a different kind of partner, the USA, a
mighty, industrial power that had not suffered
from a war and has a huge capacity for killing and
destruction»"
According to Say, the main difference between
the Geneva Accords and the Paris Agreement is that
the Geneva Conference (officially entitled "Inter-
pägO
national Conference on Vietnam") was convened by
the five Big Powers -- USSR, China, England, France,
USA — and the Vietnamese were then invited to
participate in the settlement. The final document
was drawn up by the Big Five.
The Paris Agreement, on the other hand, was
worded by the Vietnamese themselves at a conference between the interested parties -- the Americans
and their Saigon allies on one side, and the delegates
of the DRV and the PRG on the other. An International Conference was convened to acknowledge the
agreement, after the document was signed.
"The Geneva agreement,'bSau. addec., "ended the
war by dividing the country, provisionally of course,
but dividing the country nonetheless, with the re
result that all the revolutionary forces were
regrouped in the North.
"Now, on the contrary, not only is the North
completely liberated, but we have our revolutionary forces intact in the South, where we have extensive liberated areas under the jurisdiction of
our Provisional Revolutionary Government."
Sau explained that the areas under revolutionary jurisdiction are so extensive that it is possible to travel from North Vietnam to the southern
tip of South Vietnam without going through very
much Saigon-controlled territory.
"It is a fact," he said, "that the whole
central mountainous area is in our hands. And
the liberated area^of "the îSouth is linked with the
liberated zones of Cambodia and Laos, which is why
Prince Norodom Sihanouk was recently able to make
a trip of one thousand kilometers (620 miles) to
the liberated areas of Cambodia without crossing
any enemy territory."
The PRG representative talked about events
that have happened in the liberated zones of South
Vietnam since the signing of the ceasefire agreement at the end of January.
He cited Trau Binh, for example, a small
triangular province surrounded on one side by the
sea, and on the other two by the Mekong River,
which is regularly patrolled by the Saigon Army's
flotilla. In the past three months, the Révolu,
tionary administration in Trau Binh has built 18
elementary schools, opened up several teacher
training classes, and republished 150 textbooks.
"Of course by American standards, what does
that mean? — 18 schools and 150 textbooks. But
for us it represents something great. It means
that despite all the difficulties we are still going
ahead...
"Of course, these schools may be destroyed
again tomorrow by other bombs. JBut we will build
new ones."
: "Speaking about Saigon president Nguyen Van
Thieu, Sau recalled an anecdote that illustrates
the nature ôf his popularity:
Just before Thieu's return to Vietnam after
his recent visit t° the United States, the Saigon
police sent a message to all the citizens in the
area, a.king them tobe present at the airport to
LIBERATION News Service
(#526)
May 23, 1973
more,

Copyright belongs to the individuals who created them or the organizations for which they worked. We share them here strictly for non-profit educational purposes. If you believe that you possess copyright to material included here, please contact us at asklibrary@wisconsinhistory.org. Under the fair use provisions of the U.S. copyright law, teachers and students are free to reproduce any document for nonprofit classroom use. Commercial use of copyright-protected material is generally prohibited.

Owner

GI Press Project/Private Collection; The International Institute of Social History Library Collections: Gift of John Mage; The International Institute of Social History Library Collections; Brünn, Harris Watts Collection - Serials and Press Release Soldiers Movements, International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam

Copyright belongs to the individuals who created them or the organizations for which they worked. We share them here strictly for non-profit educational purposes. If you believe that you possess copyright to material included here, please contact us at asklibrary@wisconsinhistory.org. Under the fair use provisions of the U.S. copyright law, teachers and students are free to reproduce any document for nonprofit classroom use. Commercial use of copyright-protected material is generally prohibited.

Owner

GI Press Project/Private Collection; The International Institute of Social History Library Collections: Gift of John Mage; The International Institute of Social History Library Collections; Brünn, Harris Watts Collection - Serials and Press Release Soldiers Movements, International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam

Full text

/
[Note to editors: The following article is part
of a tape-recorded interview with Ly Van Sau. The
tape, or copies of it, can be obtained from Noam
Chomsky, 15 Suzanne Road, Lexington, Mass. 02173.]
FROM GENEVA TO PARIS: PRG REPRESENTATIVE
*_,Y VAN SAU TALKS ABOUT THE 1973 AGREEMENT
by Schofleld Coryell
LIBERATION News Service
PARIS (LNS) -- "We are fighting not only for
ourselves but for the defense of human values; we
are fighting for all of you and we hope to have
your continued sympathy and support."
Ly Van Sau, press representative of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic
of South Vietnam, addressed these words to a small
group of Americans who met in the offices of the
PRG Information Bureau in Paris on May 10.
Sau explained that despite the constant
violations of the ceasefire by the US-backed and
equipped Saigon Army, the revolutionary forces
feel that the Paris Agreement of January 17
represents "a tremendous victory for our people."
Sau explained that the PRG had expected the
numerous ceasefire violations and had prepared for
them in advance» The Paris Agreement,-- calling
for the withdrawal of US and allied troops was an
important achievement, but the struggle, he explained, now continues "on a different level."
"Over 115 years ago, the French invaded and
occupied our country; then, during the Second
World War, the Japanese invaded; they were followed
by the British; then came the Kuomingtang troops,
then the French again, and finally came the Americans --along with the Australians, South Koreans,
New Zealanders, Taiwanese, etc. Now at last our
country is no longer trampled by the boots of
foreign uniformed soldiers. For us, this is something magnificent."
Ly Van Sau explained why the Paris Agreement
of 1973 was such a big advance over the Geneva
Accords of July 1954 which marked the end of the
first Indochina War»
"The Geneva1 Accord came after the great victory of Dien Bien Phu. We jumped with joy and pride
to know that, with this victory over the French
(May 7, 1954) , we were the first colonized people
to win a decisive victory over a colonial power.
"But France was, after all, a second-rank
power, seriously weakened by the Second World War,
and the United States was already at the door,
readyvto intervene, As Ho Chi Minh clearly foresaw: 'We are a small people who will have the
honor of defeating two imperialisms.'
"The Paris Agreement of 1973 was signed with
quite a different kind of partner, the USA, a
mighty, industrial power that had not suffered
from a war and has a huge capacity for killing and
destruction»"
According to Say, the main difference between
the Geneva Accords and the Paris Agreement is that
the Geneva Conference (officially entitled "Inter-
pägO
national Conference on Vietnam") was convened by
the five Big Powers -- USSR, China, England, France,
USA — and the Vietnamese were then invited to
participate in the settlement. The final document
was drawn up by the Big Five.
The Paris Agreement, on the other hand, was
worded by the Vietnamese themselves at a conference between the interested parties -- the Americans
and their Saigon allies on one side, and the delegates
of the DRV and the PRG on the other. An International Conference was convened to acknowledge the
agreement, after the document was signed.
"The Geneva agreement,'bSau. addec., "ended the
war by dividing the country, provisionally of course,
but dividing the country nonetheless, with the re
result that all the revolutionary forces were
regrouped in the North.
"Now, on the contrary, not only is the North
completely liberated, but we have our revolutionary forces intact in the South, where we have extensive liberated areas under the jurisdiction of
our Provisional Revolutionary Government."
Sau explained that the areas under revolutionary jurisdiction are so extensive that it is possible to travel from North Vietnam to the southern
tip of South Vietnam without going through very
much Saigon-controlled territory.
"It is a fact" he said, "that the whole
central mountainous area is in our hands. And
the liberated area^of "the îSouth is linked with the
liberated zones of Cambodia and Laos, which is why
Prince Norodom Sihanouk was recently able to make
a trip of one thousand kilometers (620 miles) to
the liberated areas of Cambodia without crossing
any enemy territory."
The PRG representative talked about events
that have happened in the liberated zones of South
Vietnam since the signing of the ceasefire agreement at the end of January.
He cited Trau Binh, for example, a small
triangular province surrounded on one side by the
sea, and on the other two by the Mekong River,
which is regularly patrolled by the Saigon Army's
flotilla. In the past three months, the Révolu,
tionary administration in Trau Binh has built 18
elementary schools, opened up several teacher
training classes, and republished 150 textbooks.
"Of course by American standards, what does
that mean? — 18 schools and 150 textbooks. But
for us it represents something great. It means
that despite all the difficulties we are still going
ahead...
"Of course, these schools may be destroyed
again tomorrow by other bombs. JBut we will build
new ones."
: "Speaking about Saigon president Nguyen Van
Thieu, Sau recalled an anecdote that illustrates
the nature ôf his popularity:
Just before Thieu's return to Vietnam after
his recent visit t° the United States, the Saigon
police sent a message to all the citizens in the
area, a.king them tobe present at the airport to
LIBERATION News Service
(#526)
May 23, 1973
more,